RAT Trap Ensnares Innocent, Says Jury
Categories: WTF?
Four months ago, the SF Weekly published a news story questioning the tactics of the San Francisco Police Department's Robbery Abatement Team (RAT), a sting operation involving a cop disguised as a drunken homeless man with cash hanging out of a pocket, ripe for the taking. Apparently, the story didn't make much of an impact.
The public defender's office -- which has long argued that the operation is an inhumane waste of resources -- recently provided the Snitch with details of a case involving no less than 12 police officers in the arrest of one man, whom a jury quickly found innocent.
Redai Meresa, 48, was on his way home from work, passing by a homeless shelter called the Oshun House on Turk and Taylor Streets, when he spotted decoy officer John Conway stumbling around with cash in a pocket. "Your money," Meresa pointed out. "You shouldn't drink so much."
This is where the accounts from police the public defender's office differ. Police say Meresa followed Conway, reached into his pocket, took the money, and walked quickly away as Conway gave the bust signal. The public defender's office says Conway pushed Meresa away, and when Meresa instinctively pushed back, he was arrested.
If convicted, Meresa could have faced a year in county jail. Instead, on Nov. 19 a jury found Meresa innocent after just 40 minutes of deliberation. According to public defender Sandy Feinland, after the trial several jurors expressed disgust with the waste of resources dedicated to the practice of running RAT stings.
Conway made $148,000 dollars last year, and $44,000 of that was overtime.
Write Comment
Email to Friend
Print Article
